Make ART Happen.

Catherine Chifflot Nealey

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“Self-Expression, Self-Discovery, Free mind.”

Catherine was born and raised in Paris, France, she is a graduate from a graphic art school in Paris, and worked in the advertising industry for fourteen years as an artistic director. She has since lived in the United States and raised her two children.

Thinking of sending her wishes for Christmas to friends and family overseas, the thought of creating her own cards came to mind. The desire to create, and to drawn again, led her to archive these drawings.

“After observing my drawings I realized where the influence came from. The detail, the preciseness, the balance, the proportion, I have learned and inherited them from my Grand-Father and my Father, who were Industrial Designers. The spontaneity, the harmony, the suppleness of the curves, are the influences of my Italian Mother. Combining these qualities with my own personality, my drawings took form and meaning.

At the end of the day, at home surrounded by my dog and my children, it was the auspicious moment for me to draw. Taking a white blank card, a fine black marker, I started to trace a frame. From there, I let my hand be free to guide the black marker. Some interesting shapes and lines appear on the paper, filling up the form with some patterns. I was absorbed by them. It was like a place for me, where I could be quiet, focus, away from any thought, and feeling. Just being present at that moment. It was a superb experience and sensation.

Certain moment the inspiration was present, sometimes I had to set them aside for few days, and come back later with a new vision, new perspective, different sensations and new ideas. Each card is different and unique, starting from a frame with no preconceived intention, open and free mind, the mixture, the combination of shapes and lines, words and phrases, the contrast of the black and white, give them harmony, balance, complexity, lightness, density, the result is unexpectedly magical.”

After creating and sending her cards, she has the need to continue drawing. It is a pleasure of self-expression and self-discovery with a free mind. Today she enjoys exploring other shapes, mixing words and forms, and in doing so, she opens her frame to more expression.